TLS vs. End-to-End Encryption: What’s the Difference?

Not all encryption is created equal. If you’re entrusting sensitive information to a software vendor, and they reassure you that your data will be encrypted, your next question should be, “How?” And the answer to that question should be clear and simple. 

In this post, we’ll cover the two most common types of encryption for sharing sensitive information externally: TLS and end-to-end encryption (E2EE). We'll also examine how additional measures, like fine-grained access control, can make encryption even more powerful and dynamic as your business relationships change. 

TLS is a Delivery Truck. End-to-End Encryption is a Lockbox.

Imagine you need to ship a valuable item across the country. It’s an item that could be sold at a high price point, so you want to make sure it gets to its destination without being stolen or intercepted. 

TLS encryption is like using a secure courier service. The package is transported to its destination in a secure vehicle. But, once it’s off the truck, there are no guarantees: It may pass through the hands of several handlers (software and cloud providers) before arriving at the recipient’s door. 

End-to-end encryption is like placing your valuable item in a special lockbox. Only you and the intended recipient have the key to open it. You’ll still use the same courier service, but even if the package passes through multiple handlers en route to its destination, none of them can see what’s inside the box, and they cannot open it. Only the recipient with the key can do that. 

TLS encryption will likely get your valuable item from Point A to Point B without incident. But there are potential vulnerabilities when the item is "off the truck." That's why end-to-end encryption is the safer choice for sensitive information that needs to be handled carefully and securely. 

Now, does every package need to be sent in a lockbox? No. But, if you’re sharing something valuable — like sensitive data that would cost you dearly if you were to lose possession of it — E2EE is more secure than TLS. 

But, with Virtru and the Trusted Data Format (TDF), E2EE isn’t the end of the story. 

Persistent Access Control Is Like a Self-Destructing Key

There's another important thing to consider here: Control. It’s true that end-to-end encryption protects data longer than TLS (in transit and at rest). But what if things change after you send the package? What if the recipient refuses to pay for this valuable item? Or, what if you realize you accidentally put the wrong address on the shipping label and it's headed to Mike M. in California instead of Mike R. in Maryland? 

If you use an end-to-end encryption solution with persistent access controls (like Virtru), you get even better, and more precise, protection for the item inside. Say you shipped the package to the wrong recipient. Persistent access controls are like a self-destructing lockbox key. (A la the 1980s cartoon Inspector Gadget.) No key? No access. 

Even after the package has been delivered, persistent access controls, like what Virtru provides, allow you to continuously decide exactly who can open the package, and under what circumstances. 

With Virtru, you can also get more granular with those access controls for the sensitive data you share. Limit downloading and resharing, set expiration dates, add watermarks, add or change recipient access, and more. 

The Virtru Advantage: End-to-End Encryption and Persistent Access Control for the Data You Share Externally

Virtru combines the power of E2EE with persistent, fine-grained control that goes beyond simple compliance to give you true security. This provides several advantages:

• Intentionally decide how and when sensitive data can be accessed
• Revoke access to sensitive data if circumstances change
• Modify permissions whenever needed, allowing for adaptive collaboration
• Track and audit who has accessed protected data 
• Restrict forwarding or downloading of sensitive files
• Apply watermarks to files for data tracking
• Take action when sensitive information is shared with the wrong person in error.  

All of these controls give the data owner agency and choice of how they want to share information with others. This ultimately enables smarter sharing, rather than keeping data locked in a silo where it is of no use to anyone. 

Virtru customer Jason Karn at Total HIPAA recently shared one real-world example: 

“Just having data encrypted point-to-point doesn't solve the problem. It's just one issue, but if that's all it took, then Gmail, Google Workspace, and Office 365 would be sufficient. The real issue is, ‘What do you do when you send PHI to the wrong person?’ We have people with multiple ‘Johns’ in their contact list — they may send it to the wrong John. We had a client going through a major breach because of social engineering: Someone spoofed a member of upper management, and an employee sent out a file with names and PHI. It became a real issue — we had to report it as a breach to The  Department of Health and Human Services. If they’d had Virtru, they could have just denied access to the email and this entire crisis could have been averted. The impact would have been limited, it would have had tracking, and they could have changed the access controls. Now, the horse is out of the barn. The barn is on fire. It’s, ‘What do we do now?’’“

Can you relate to that experience? It’s nice to know that you have control over your data if — and when — a mistake is made. Another Virtru customer calls it “The Whoops! Moment,” and it happens to the best of us. Another prime example: In 2023, it was revealed that millions of emails intended for the U.S. military (.mil) email domain had actually been sent to Mali (.ml) by mistake. 

It’s moments like these that make the “self-destruct” feature feel like a godsend. 

E2EE vs. TLS: Encryption Vendor Checklist

At Virtru, we often say, “Encryption is easy, but decryption is hard.” There are a lot of encryption providers out there, with a wide range of encryption implementations. Some methods of encryption are more secure than others. But it’s essential to consider the decryption experience — is it easy for the right recipient to access the right data, at the right time? If the decryption experience is too difficult, will the software actually get used? 

When looking for an encryption vendor, here are a few important things to consider:

End to End Encryption Plus Granular Access Control

You don’t necessarily need to use end-to-end encryption for every email you send. Sometimes TLS is sufficient — but sometimes it’s not — especially when valuable information is on the line. For those circumstances where sensitive data needs to be shared, end-to-end encryption (E2EE) and access controls give you stronger protection that follows data through its life cycle.  

Support Existing Workflows

Does the solution integrate with the workflows your team already uses? If not, you may find that your team defaults to non-secure workarounds in order to avoid friction — and this can leave your data vulnerable. Consider solutions that complement your existing workflows, like email, file sharing, and common SaaS apps like Salesforce, Zendesk, Google Drive, and Microsoft OneDrive/Sharepoint.  

Recipient Experience

Consider whether the solution is realistic for your recipients and their technological skills. For example, some encryption solutions require recipients to create an account or install software. Opting for a lightweight and platform-agnostic product may be the better choice so that users don’t circumvent your secure workflows. 

If you're evaluating a secure email portal, it's important to note whether your senders and recipients will need to create a new login and password in order to interact with secure mail or files. Some portals can introduce friction and increase the amount of time your IT and support teams spend on resolving issues and resetting passwords.  

Deployment and Maintenance

Encryption solutions like S/MIME require savvy internal users and external recipients. They also require IT involvement for managing certs and facilitating key signing. Consider the support resources that you’ll need to devote to your chosen encryption product.

At Virtru, the capabilities listed above are paramount: Securing sensitive information shouldn’t be difficult, and teams shouldn’t have to limit collaboration in order to keep data protected. Virtru makes it easy to exchange sensitive information externally, without sacrificing security or control over that information. 

Want to see if Virtru could be a good fit for your organization? Contact our team for a demo. We’d love to talk further about how we can support your data security and encryption needs. 

Encryption FAQ

What is TLS Encryption? 

TLS stands for “Transport Layer Security,” and it encrypts information in transit between the sender and the recipient. It does not, however, protect information at rest — that is, when it’s in your email client or in your recipient’s inbox. The encryption lasts briefly, for the seconds it takes for the email to arrive in the recipient’s email inbox, where it is decrypted and remains that way. 

For emails and files that don’t contain any sensitive information, TLS is probably sufficient, since most email clients support TLS encryption these days. However, when you’re sharing something sensitive — like customer data, health records, or files subject to compliance regulations — it may not be sufficient to truly protect sensitive information. That’s because transport is just one fleeting part of the data’s life cycle. 

TLS is also not a 100% guarantee. If the recipient’s email client doesn’t support TLS (although the vast majority of modern email clients do), then the likelihood of interception increases, and if you force TLS encryption, then you may run into issues with deliverability.

What is End-to-End Encryption?

End-to-end encryption protects data from the moment it’s created to the moment it’s accessed by the intended recipient, ensuring it remains inaccessible to anyone other than the data owner and intended recipients. The “ends” in “end-to-end” refer to the data’s origin and destination—and data remains protected every step along the way. We cover E2EE in detail in our blog post, End-to-End Encryption, Explained. 

E2EE vs. TLS: Which Is Stronger? 

Unlike TLS, end-to-end encryption protects the email or file even after it’s arrived at its destination — in other words, it encrypts the data at rest, as well as in transit. Only the endpoints possessing the correct encryption keys can decrypt the data. That means your message will not sit in the recipient’s mail client unsecured and potentially vulnerable. 

Is TLS Enough for Compliance? 

Sometimes. It depends on the compliance regulation you're evaluating, and it's always wise to  consult the latest version of the regulation, as these requirements evolve. Instead of asking, "Does TLS check the box for compliance?" (a.k.a. compliance theater), The better question to ask is, "Does TLS actually give me the security and control I need?" You'll want to decide what method of encryption will actually give you the data security advantages you need to protect yourself and your business.